Team Bios

We have assembled a talented group of professionals to bring you the finest in professional legal services. Our in-house staff consists of five team attorneys (we also have five "of counsel" attorneys), a physician, legal assistants, a paralegal/registered nurse, a claims manager, an investigator, a receptionist, and clerical assistants. In addition, we employ leading experts on a case by case basis.

Our staff is trained in personal injury claims, death claims, car wrecks, accidents, serious injuries, disability related malpractice, injured workers, traumatic injury, brain injury, injuries on waterways, trucks or motorcycle collisions, slip and fall, back and head injuries, closed head injuries, scarring, broken bones, chemical exposure, premise liability, dangerous products, medical malpractice, railroad F.E.L.A. and related matters.

HOWARD E. SPIVA, ATTORNEY AT LAW - Howard E. Spiva practices law in Savannah Georgia. He limits his practice to serious personal injury, wrongful death and litigation with an emphasis on premises liability, brain injuries and claims involving children.

Howard is married with two children. His oldest son is a lawyer and he practices with Howard. Mr. Spiva was admitted to the Georgia Bar in 1984. A graduate of Woodrow Wilson College of Law in Atlanta Georgia, he is past president of the Savannah Trial Lawyers Association, past Regional Chairman of the Georgia Civil Justice Foundation and a member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association.

Howard is admitted to practice in the Superior Court of Chatham County, Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia, United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, and United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia. Howard is also a Real Estate Broker and a Private Pilot.

Howard enjoys the highest rating ("AV") in both legal professional ability and ethical standards given by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. Lawyer ratings and evaluations are based on confidential opinions and peer evaluation by members of the Bar and the Judiciary. The ratings include over one million lawyers in 160 countries and only approx. 21% have AV rating. An AV rating shows that a lawyer has reached the height of professional excellence. He or she has usually practiced law for many years, and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity.

Howard has helped his clients through his membership in organizations including the following:

Organizations: Howard is a member of the Savannah Trial Lawyers Association (Past President), Southern Trial Lawyers Association (Officer and Board of Governors), Million Dollar Advocates Forum (2500 members, only 35 in GA), Georgia Trial Lawyers Association (Life Member and past Regional Vice President), (Note: There are 24,760 licensed Georgia attorneys. 2500 GTLA members and less than 25 life members.), Savannah Bar Association, Georgia Bar Association, American Bar Association, Georgia Civil Justice Foundation, The Brain Injury Association formerly the National Head Injury Foundation and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (The Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group). Continuing Education: Howard has attended over 60 day and weeklong legal seminars.

Presentations: Howard has made over 100 legal presentations to organizations, schools, lawyers and trial attorney associations. Notable Accomplishments:

1. MADE NEW GEORGIA LAW: Won appeal to the Supreme Court for decision that a farm tractor is a motor vehicle for purposes of uninsured motorist claims. Co-counsel Clay Davis.
2. RECORD VERDICT IN SLIP AND FALL CASE: Judgment for 1.15 million ($900,000.00 verdict + $253,000.00 in pre-judgment interest). Co-counsel Clay Davis.
3. RECORD VERDICT IN STATE COURT OF CHATHAM COUNTY: Assisted in trial preparation in Medical malpractice verdict of $6.5 Million against Memorial Hospital.
4. $4 million record recovery in Wayne County.

CECIL CLAY DAVIS, ATTORNEY AT LAW - Clay Davis is the firm's senior associate. He limits his practice to personal injury and wrongful death litigation.

Mr. Davis was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 1991. He is a 1991 Graduate of the Cumberland School of Law of Samford University, in Birmingham, Alabama. While at Cumberland, he actively participated in Cumberland's mock trial and clinical programs and was a member of the 1991 ATLA National Trial Team. Following law school he practiced with Taylor and Harp in Columbus, GA.

Mr. Davis has been with the firm since December 1994. He successfully argued the case of Hinton v. Interstate Guaranty Insurance Company, 267 Ga. 516, 480 S. E. 2d 842, 480 S.E. 2d 842 (1997), before the Georgia Supreme Court, which extended uninsured motorist protection to collisions involving uninsured vehicles such as farm tractors and golf carts being used upon public roads.

Along with Mr. Spiva, Mr. Davis co-chairs many of the firms more serious injury claims. He has a special interest and experience in cases involving work place injuries where the statutory employer and borrowed servant defenses are invoked in an attempt to thwart legitimate personal injury claims. He also has experience in cases involving brain injuries, premise liability, amusement park rides, tractor trailer collisions, and municipal liability. Mr. Davis is a Captain in the Judge Advocate General Corps, United States Army Reserve. He is currently assigned to the 213th Legal Support Organization, Team 3. He is married with two children.

WILLIAM CLAYTON "CLAY" PORTER II, ATTORNEY AT LAW - Clay received his Bachelors degree from AASU in 1999 and graduated Law School in 2001.

Clay was the treasurer for the John Marshall Law School Federalist Society. He was formerly a Warrant Officer for Fulton County, and had also worked with for the Chatham County Sheriff's Department.

His interests outside the office include scuba diving, fishing, and spending time with his children.  Clay passed the Georgia Bar in February 2001.

ANDRE ARROYAVE, LITIGATION PARALEGAL - Andre has four years experience in administrative and paralegal duties in the United States Marine Corps. He earned an Associate's degree in Paralegal Studies from South University, and is currently working on his Bachelor's degree. Andre's fluency in Spanish, legal experience, and military background make him a welcome and valuable asset to the firm.

ELAINE SPIVA WATSON, PERSONAL LEGAL ASSISTANT - Elaine has worked in the legal field since 1985.  She has over twenty years of extensive experience in litigation and trial preparation.  She handles various duties, including computer troubleshooting along with her duties as personal legal assistant to Howard Spiva.

JENNIFER KAIGHIN-PORTER, LEGAL ASSISTANT - Jennifer has worked in the medical field for over ten (10) years in a number of different capacities. Most recently, she worked as a Lab Technician. Her medical background in addition to her education is a compliment to our firm. She is married to Attorney Wm. Clayton Porter, II, and has two children.

KELLY SPIVA, V. P. OF FINANCE-Kelly has worked in the legal field since 1987. She has extensive experience as a legal assistant on non-litigation files. She has excellent editorial and organizational skills which are imperative in the daily functions in the law practice.

ROBERT WATSON, OFFICE MANAGER - Robert Watson has extensive experience in management and comes to us with 26 years of training in the management of employees.

MARIE WOODS,  RECEPTIONIST AND HOST- Marie has an extensive background in sales, customer service.  Her excellent communication skills aids her in her duties as receptionist and administrative assistant. She first joined the firm part time in 2000 and became full time employed in October 2001.

 CARL "ED" SPIVA, INVESTIGATIONS - Ed is a native of Savannah, Georgia. He has twenty-eight years of law enforcement experience and has trained federal, state and local officers nationally and internationally in forty-one states and three countries in the use of electronic surveillance equipment. He is a consultant on many television programs for pursuit production and real TV. Ed is an independent contractor who has been assisting our firm in investigations since March of 2000.

MARK HANSEN, PILOT - Mark began flying at the age of fourteen, and he has been a licensed private pilot since age seventeen. Mark can fly multi-engine aircraft and is a certified flight instructor. Mark has flown over 60 different types of aircraft and has logged an astounding 6,000 hours of flight time.